Dirigible towing-bar attachment



June 10 1924.

H. A MARcoTT DIRIGIBLE TOWING BAR ATTACHMENT Filed June '7,I 1923 HALLEY A. MARCOTT, OCE' EAGLE ROCK, CALIFDRNIA;

DIRIG-IBLE TOWFNG-IBAB ATTACHMENT.

Application led June 7,

To all 'whom t may concern: Y

Be it known that I, HALLEY A. MARoo'rT, acitizen of the United States, residing at Eagle Rock city, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dirigible Towing-Bar Attachments, of which the following isa specification.

My inventionl relates to and has for its purpose the provision of an attachment for motor vehicles of extremely simple, inexpensive, and durable construction, by means ofywhich the dirigible towing of a vehicle can be readily effected.

It is also av purpose of my invention to provide a `gdiribible towing attachment which includes a special form of bumper .that normally occupies a protecting po-V sition with respect to the front -of the vehicle, and which is adapted to be con-` nected to the operating arm of the towing attachment when the vehicle is beingk towed yso as to function 4as a `draft bar for operatively connecting the Vtowed Vehiclewith thetowing vehicle.

Although I have-,herein shown and will describe only one form of -dirigible towing attachment embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modilications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view showing in top plan the front end of a motor vehicle having applied to the steering mechanism thereof one form of towing attachment embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, my invention in its present embodiment is shown as applied to a motor Vehicle including a front axle 15, front wheels 16, the usual spindle armsI 17 mounted to swing about the bolts 13 as a center and operatively connected to eac-h other by means of a tie rod 19. The attachment forming the subject matter of my invention comprises in the present` instance an operating arm 20, fulcrumed on a bolt 2l extending through block 22 which is secured to the front axle 15 by U bolts 23. The block 22 is shaped to receive and pre- 1923. Serial No, 643,922.

vent displacement of the bolts l23, and is.,V

alsoy formed with a projection 24 which fits within the vfront side of the axle 15, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The rear end of the arm 2O is providedwith a slot 25 in which, works a pin 26 formed on or secured n to a plate Y27', the latter being secured to the medial portion of thev tie yrod 19 by means of Ubolts 28. The forward end Vof .the arm 20 is twisted at right angles and block 22, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.,

From the foregoing arrangement, it would be clear that the operating arm 2O is operatively connected to the tie rod 19 ofthe steering mechanism of the wheels 16,

and that by movement of the arm about its` pivot`2l, a` longitudinalA movementof the `tie rod 19 is eifected to operateI the spindle arms 17 and causing a steeringiofthe front ywheels 16.

A bumper indicated fgenerallyjatVB nor;l

mally occupies a protecting position with respect to the front of the vehicle as indicated in dash lines in ,Fig 1. This bumper comprises' in the present instance a pair of bars 32 secured in spaced relation by cross bars 33 and having their ends curved upon themselves to provide sleeves 34 which receive bolts 35. The bumper is adapted to be normally supported in protecting position in such manner that it can be readily detachedv so as to be associated with the operating arm 20 and brace bar 31. The extensions 29 and 30 are formed with registering openings through which one of the bolts 35 is adapted to extend, while the other bolt 35 is adapted to receive a ringy the Vbolt 21 b-ut at the'lower side of they Y ei'ect 'a corresponding movement of the wheel 16 through the operating arm 20 and the tie rod 19. It will be understood that the pin and slot connection between the tie rod and operating arm allows of unrestricted lateral movement of the tie rod so as to prevent any binding between the two elef ments.

What I claim is:

l. In combination, a motor vehicle including a front aXle, spindle arms, and a tie rod, means supported onsaid axle and operatively connected to said tie rod for effecting an actuation of the latter, and a bumper detacliably supported on the vehicle and having eyes at its ends 'and adapted to be removed from the vehicle connected to said means by a boit through one eye and through said means in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. A. dirigible towing attachment for niotor vehicles, comprising a supporting block, means adapted to secure the block t0 the front axle of 'a motor vehicle, an aim fulcrumed on the block and having one end .formed with a slot, the other end of the arm being bent and twisted to provide a downwardly inclined extension, a plate adapted to be secured to the tie rod of the niotor vehicle, a pin carried by said plate and working in said slot, and a brace bar pivoted on the block and having an upwardly inclined ,extension connected to the extension of said arm.

3. A dirigible towing attachment for niotor vehicles, Vcomprising a supporting block,

means adapted to secure the block to the front axle of a motor vehicle, an arm fulciunied on the block and having one end formed with a slot, the other end of the arm being bent and twisted to provide a downwardly inclined extension, a plate adapted to be secured to the tie rod of the motor vehicle, la pin carried by said plate and working in said slot, a brace bar pivoted on the block and having an upwardly inclined extension 'connected to the extension of said arm, and a bumper including spaced bars bent to provide sleeves at the ends ot the bars, and bolts extending through said sleeves, one of said bolt@ engaging said extensions so as to supp-ort the latter between the bars.

4L. A dirigible towing attachment for ?motor vehicles, comprising a supporting block, means adapted to secure the block to the front axle of a motor vehicle, an arm fulcrumed on the block and haviiigone end Jformed with a slot, the other end of the arm beinO bent and twisted to provide a downwardly inclined extension, aV plate adapted to be secured to the tie rod of the motor vehicle, a pin carried by said plate and working in said slot, a brace bar pivoted on the block land having 'an upwardly inclined extension connected to the extension of said arm, and means forming a draw bar hingedly `connected to said extensions.

In testimony whereof l havev signed my naine to this specification.

YHALLEY A. MARCOTT. 

